"It's nothing, I just happened to notice it."
Izumi Chihiro's hands had nowhere to go, making him seem a bit awkward.
"Although you say that, I, this young lady, cannot simply overlook it. Consider it as me owing you a favor! If you ever need anything, you can use this favor anytime. I'm willing to do anything!"
Yamada Elf said confidently.
"Stare~!"
The Elf's uninhibited actions immediately drew 'malicious' gazes from everyone, making him feel a little pressure.
Miss Elf then remembered that she was still hugging him. A blush immediately spread to her earlobes. She took a few steps back and, pretending nothing happened, said to everyone, "Well, today's gathering ended perfectly!"
He returned to Izumi with his younger sister.
Because it was too late, the others stayed in the villa.
However, just after seeing the two leave and returning to the living room, Yamada Elf sensed a hint of strangeness.
Kani Nayuta and Senju Muramasa had, at some point, positioned themselves on either side of her, their eyes filled with deep resentment.
"Elmi, save me!"
"Stop yelling, no one will save you even if you scream until your throat breaks!"
Elmi's voice came from the side, sounding sinister.
The three of them firmly controlled her, pinning her to the sofa.
Elmi grasped Miss Elf's sole, her fingers wiggling, eager to start.
"Elf, have you forgotten? The humiliation of having your illustrator replaced! My patience isn't that great... Today, I'll make you truly suffer!"
"Ah, no~!"
...
A few days later.
The atmosphere on the Shiratori Company's online forum also became lively.
["Kashiwagi Eri-sensei's serialized work is already getting better, it seems she's completely adapted to the intensity of weekly serialization!"]
["Indeed, Kashiwagi Eri-sensei is progressing very quickly, not at all like a new creator who just started."]
["Based on previous information, Kashiwagi Eri-sensei and Izumi Old Thief are the same age, which means she's still a high school student. Doesn't that feel strenuous?"]
["I heard she isn't even using assistants yet, is that possible?"]
["Don't underestimate the geniuses in this world, you guys!"]
["Speaking of which, Shiina-sensei, who won first place in the Grand Prize and redeemed herself, is also going to be officially serialized. I just wonder if Shiina-sensei can adapt to the pace of official serialization?"]
["Shiina-sensei? You mean the one who draws very well? Did she also pass? But I don't think drawing well necessarily means a manga will sell well."]
["They say she has unlimited potential, but Shiina-sensei doesn't seem like she'll catch up that quickly. If someone truly has talent, it's usually evident from the beginning."]
In her spare time, Eriri reviewed the comments from numerous readers, taking note of them.
Through her unremitting efforts during this period, and a certain someone's constant urging, she had made astonishing progress. She even found it somewhat unbelievable when she thought of and drew certain content.
"I remember now, this long-lost feeling..."
She gazed at her fair, delicate hands, murmuring.
When she first started learning to draw, she also made rapid progress like this, especially under Mashiro's invisible pressure, which pushed her to improve a lot.
And now it was the same. Mashiro's presence once again ignited her ambition to compete, breaking the predicament where she had been stagnant and unable to advance further.
"I don't know whether to be grateful or resentful for something like this."
Eriri mocked herself.
But similarly, in order to adapt to the updated pace and focus on improving, she missed many events.
There's a saying: Only by experiencing seven layers of loneliness can you become a true powerhouse!
She had waited all these years for this opportunity, not to prove how amazing she was, but to fight for a breath, to reclaim what she had lost, and to prove that she was the number one existence in someone's heart!
However, through Sagiri, her inside source, although she wasn't omniscient, she was still perfectly clear about what had generally happened.
"Nayuta alone is already troublesome enough, and there's that Senju Muramasa… Chihiro, what kind of light novel protagonist are you!?"
She really wanted to grab her childhood friend by the collar and question him.
And the most outrageous part was that Kasumigaoka Utaha, Kani Nayuta, and Senju Muramasa were all light novelists she quite liked, which made things awkward.
On campus.
The two sat in the familiar conference room.
"Eriri has been making good progress lately."
Izumi Chihiro suddenly spoke.
"I don't need you to remind me of that; I'm well aware."
Eriri gave him a roll of her eyes.
"Well, Mashiro is about to start a long-term serialization. Eriri, are you mentally prepared?"
He changed the subject.
"Hmph! Prepared? Right now, she's the challenger! If she wants me to take her seriously, she needs to stabilize her ranking and avoid being canceled first! Only then will I acknowledge her as my opponent."
The girl snorted lightly, replying with great ambition.
"Eriri is still so tough. I just hope you won't be so stubborn after you're surpassed later."
Izumi Chihiro pouted.
"Chihiro, you're just trying to be annoying, aren't you! You've already decided I'm going to lose so early? That's looking down on me too much!"
Eriri slapped the table, her expression displeased.
"Heh, seeing you still so energetic, that's great. I thought you'd be scared witless directly, so I wouldn't need to give you courage."
Izumi Chihiro suddenly grinned.
"What kind of talk is that?"
Eriri's expression immediately changed, her anger vanishing in an instant. She pouted and mumbled, looking very playful and cute.
There was a hint of coquetry.
Tsundere is all about that contrasting feeling!
"Don't think I'm still the same me from back then; the two are incomparable! The me now is stronger than you imagine, and this time, I won't lose again!"
Eriri confidently set a flag for herself.
Izumi Chihiro looked at the girl's confident expression and said nothing more to discourage her.
After all, no one really knows what will happen in the future. Whether Eriri rides the waves and soars, or her ship sinks and she perishes, the probability of these two outcomes is actually not very different.
Mashiro's self-awakening is still just a Schrödinger's existence; perhaps the degree will never be enough, one can't be sure.
After school.
He still followed his usual routine, picking up Mashiro first.
"Today, Mashiro's manga is officially being published, right? Mafuyu wants to go too!"
Shiina Mafuyu seemed very excited today.
"Together."
Mashiro nodded.
During this time, their relationship also progressed quickly. At school, she was always the one helping Mashiro, successfully replacing the presence of 'Rita'.
So, she had long been perfectly clear about the manga and everything else.
This was not a big deal, and the three of them knew each other well, so they went together to buy this issue of the manga magazine.
---
💯 PS = 2 bonus chapter